“I’m just trying to get away from the woman,” Fridley said. “Not trying to hurt her.”

Fridley just got out of jail. State Police say over the weekend he drove from the couple’s home 2 miles with Justus clinging to the front hood of his SAAB. After slamming on the brakes in Ernest, the mother of three went hurtling to the pavement.

“No,” said Fridley. “I stopped at least three times. I stopped at the stop signs going through town. I stopped on the way here, she yelled, ‘Stop, open the sunroof.’ She wanted to get in the car with me.”

While Fridley disputes details, troopers’ accounts are that he admitted to the disturbing event that happened next: he beat her with one of his crutches.

“I had to get her off my car,” he said. “I ain’t gonna punch her with my fist or nothing.”
He said he didn’t call police because she had his phone.

Justus declined treatment, but troopers say she had a large bruise where Fridley allegedly hit her on the arm.

When asked if he could go back in time and not hit her with a crutch, he said, “That was the only way to get her off the car man.”

Fridley remains free on bond. He’s been ordered to stay away from Justus.